Poseidon didn't look at Hades even after he questioned him…
He calmly continued preparing the ceremony, as if nothing had happened.
Hades smiled faintly and thought to himself:
"I'll find out what you're hiding… sooner or later."
Poseidon suddenly raised his gaze and said coldly:
"Are you going to stand there like that?"
"Or will you move and help… you lazy one?"
Hades smirked and replied:
"I already ordered my dog…"
"To bring some beautiful flowers from the Underworld."
Then he added:
"From that cave… the one you keep for yourself."
Poseidon thought for a moment…
Then said in a provoking tone:
"You mean the cave you took over…"
"And don't let anyone enter?"
"Or else your annoying dog attacks us?"
Hades nodded with a smile:
"Exactly… that one."
Poseidon sighed in boredom…
And returned to his work without another word.
— — — — — — — — —
Far from Asgard…
Deep within the human empire…
The atmosphere was filled with tension.
The Head Mage knelt before the Emperor…
But something in his eyes… wasn't normal.
The Emperor looked at him with deadly coldness and said:
"Didn't you say you would find her?"
"You useless mage…"
"Do you know what will happen to you now?"
The Head Mage slowly raised his head…
And said in a strange voice:
"No… I do not."
Then he suddenly stood up.
And all the mages behind him stood at the same moment.
The Emperor's eyes widened—
A terrifying aura erupted from him, shaking the entire hall:
"What are you doing?!"
"You dare stand before me?!"
The Head Mage smiled mockingly and said:
"I no longer care what you will do to me…"
"But there is something you should know…"
He paused for a second…
Then said:
"Do not anger a mage… ever again."
Suddenly—
He pulled out a strange dagger…
And stabbed himself in the heart.
At the exact same moment—
All the mages behind him did the same.
"!!!"
Everyone froze in shock.
Before anyone could react—
Their bodies…
Started melting.
They turned into a dense, strange black fog.
It spread through the hall at a terrifying speed.
One of the soldiers screamed:
"Dark magic!!!"
The Emperor immediately jumped back—
And vanished with the Captain of the Guard from the hall, shouting:
"Do not touch it!"
"This is ancient magic!"
The knights immediately retreated…
But it was too late.
The black fog swallowed them—
And they disappeared within it.
The fog grew thicker—
Passing through magical barriers as if they didn't exist.
It left the royal hall…
And spread throughout the palace.
The Emperor stood outside…
Watching in shock and anger.
He clenched his fist tightly—
And said to the Captain of the Guard:
"Bring my eldest son… immediately!"
Then added in a heavy tone:
"Perhaps… he is the only one who can stop this catastrophe."
Before the Captain could move—
Suddenly, the Crown Prince appeared right in front of them using magic.
Everyone froze in place.
But the moment his eyes fell on the creeping black fog—
He lowered his voice in shock:
"Who… who summoned this magic?! And how was it activated in the continent of Mira?!"
"What kind of madman did this?!"
The Emperor quickly looked at him and asked anxiously:
"Can you remove it, my son?"
The Crown Prince shook his head immediately, his eyes serious:
"No… that's impossible."
"This is… sacrificial magic."
"Someone sacrificed their soul and body to hell… to summon this foul magic."
Silence fell for a few seconds…
Then he quickly said:
"We must bring the dragons immediately… and evacuate the imperial capital at once!"
Before he could finish—
He waved his hand swiftly, teleporting himself, the Emperor, and the Captain of the Guard away—
As the fog was rapidly approaching.
The Emperor looked around nervously and said:
"Can't I destroy it with my flames?"
The Crown Prince looked at his father calmly and asked:
"When you faced that disaster… what did you feel, Father?"
The Emperor fell silent for a moment…
Then said in a low voice:
"I felt… that if I got close… I would die."
The Crown Prince nodded:
"Yes… that's exactly what will happen."
The Captain of the Guard stepped forward and asked quietly:
"Should I evacuate the imperial family from the palace and the capital?"
The Emperor thought quickly, then looked at his son—
And said firmly:
"Do it immediately!"
The Captain did not hesitate for a moment—
He rushed off, teleporting with his soldiers throughout the palace…
To evacuate all members of the imperial family to safety.
The Emperor looked at his son again and said:
"Can you move all the people of the capital from here?"
The Crown Prince looked at him in shock, then thought briefly before answering:
"I can…"
"But it will drain all my energy…"
"And I will need the help of all the capital's mages."
The Emperor raised his hand and took out a mysterious token…
Then said:
"Go… I entrust you with this."
"And if anyone resists you… show them this, and they will obey your orders."
The Crown Prince took the item quickly—
Then vanished in an instant.
He knew very well…
That if he didn't act now—
A true catastrophe would happen.